The Denver Post Office's strange Halloween.
Halloween is in full swing at the Denver Post Office. If Oliver O'Toole is very skeptical, the POstables must solve an old postal legend. Halloween is also the occasion to go back into Shane's past. The characters belong to the talented Marta Williamson.
Sunday, October 30, 2022. O'Toole home
This evening, Oliver returned from shopping. He took the shopping bags, climbed the few steps, smiled, then opened the door with a smile before he lost his smile.
"Good evening. Mrs. McInerney, Shane. What's this?" Oliver asked, surprised to discover ghosts, pumpkins, spider webs and bats decoration in the entire living room.
"It's for Halloween, deary. We've decorated the entire living room and just received our costumes. Oliver, I got you a vampire costume, very gentlemanly, Count Dracula!" Sharon exclaimed, delighted.
"I think I need some clams and red wine already." The postal detective replied as he grabbed the shopping bags and headed to the pantry.
"Shaney, what's going on with your husband?" Sharon asks
"You know mom, for some parties, Oliver is not very... How do you say, very modern." Shane replied.
"Everyone lives in their own era..." Her mother added with a smile, picking up a real pumpkin.
Monday, October 31, 2022. Dead Letter Office.
"Did you know that the bat is the city symbol of Valencia in Spain." Norman said as he hung a paper bat on the wall.
"Rita, Norman, what are you going to dress up as tonight for the Postal Halloween Party?" Shane asked after putting up a pumpkin banner on another wall.
"Frankenstein!" Norman exclaimed.
"Me, a scary owl. My mom always made me my costumes, with real feathers. What about you, Shane?" Rita asked
"A witch. It's really cool that the Denver Post Office is having a Halloween party." Shane added with a smile.
"Halloween or how to waste pumpkins. Good morning everyone. Did I forget or is Monday Charlie's day off?" The postal detective asks.
"Hi Oliver, yes it is Monday." Rita replied as Hazel entered the DLO.
"Hi Hazel, I love your Slytherin uniform, perfect for Halloween!" exclaimed Norman.
Hi, happy Halloween POstables! Thanks Norman, I'm a Harry Potter fan! Trick or treat?" Hazel asks as she offers them a bowl full of candy.
" My pleasure Hazel! Oh Sour Patch Kids. My favorite Halloween candy... Delicious... Didn't you charm them into Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?" Shane asked with a smile.
"No, I forgot my wand." Hazel laughed. " By the way, do you know the legend of Jack Spooky?" The female mail carrier asked.
"Eleanor once told me this story. He really did exist!" Norman exclaimed.
"Who is Jack Spooky?" Shane questioned.
"Years ago, a mailman made his traditional delivery of mail like every October 31st. But one Halloween night, while at the Denver post office, the mailman mysteriously disappeared and was never seen again. Since that day, Jack's ghost has haunted the post office ..." Norman says, shining a flashlight into his face.
"They even say that his last letter is somewhere in a secret room in the post office. But no one ever found it." Rita added on a frightened tone.
Everyone was captivated by the story, all except Oliver who laughed silently, then had a questioning look.
The postal detective was glancing at his pocket watch then left the DLO, and walked down the large hallway, when he felt someone gently take his hand.
"Oliver, is everything all right? Or are you still mad at me for scaring you after hiding a plastic skeleton in the bathroom this morning?" Shane asked.
He glanced behind him then fixed the knot in his tie.
"I'm fine, thanks. I just don't like Halloween with all the zombies and skeletons and scary monsters. And candy isn't really my cup of tea." He added.
"Oh, yeah, candy would be bad for your ravishing smile." Shane whispered in his ear.
"I have to go to human resources." Oliver added, smiling fondly.
"Ooh, be careful, Lynn from the resources office is disguised as a zombie. Have fun!" Shane exclaimed with a big smile.
Some time later, in the afternoon. DLO.
"How about we look for that mysterious letter tonight!" Rita exclaimed.
"I love mysteries!" Norman added.
"The horror movie is just beginning." Shane said with a smile.
O'Toole House.
Spooky Halloween pumpkins had been set up in front of the door and a bowl of treats was set up on a small table at the bottom of the stairs.
"Shaney, are you almost done? We'll be leaving soon!" Sharon exclaimed who was waiting in the living room with Oliver.
"Just a moment, I'm re-adjusting the face cream on my face." Shane replied from the bathroom.
"So, Oliver, no costume for you tonight. I hope my Fairy Godmother costume doesn't scare you too much." Sharon remarked as Oliver got a little chuckle.
"Not in the least. Do you know why Shane is so keen on Halloween?" Oliver asked.
"Maybe it's a little more than just a holiday for Shane, more than just scaring or eating candy." Sharon replied.
"What do you mean?" The postal detective asked
"As you know, Shane's father left the house on Christmas Eve. Halloween and Thanksgiving were our last family celebrations together. On Halloween, my daughters always went shopping with their father. It was a time he loved to share with Alex and Shane. After he left, everything was different. Shane stopped celebrating Christmas but continued with Halloween, as if to always keep her father in her heart." Sharon confessed.
"I'm sorry. It couldn't have been easy and..." Oliver began.
"So how do I look?" Shane asked as she walked down the stairs.
"You look beautiful , honey, as always." Sharon replied with a smile.
"And you Mr. O'Toole?" Shane asks
"I... Well... I like the little spider web pattern ... It's nice." Oliver answers.
Denver Post Office. 7:30 p.m.
Norman and Rita were waiting in the hallway of the post office when Oliver and Shane meet them.
"Norman, Rita, your costumes are beautiful!" Shane exclaimed.
"Yes, thank you. Oliver, you are disguised as yourself, great! We can start our search in the sorting room first. I managed to get the keys." Norman explains.
"Let's go!" Shane exclaimed.
The POstables entered the sorting room. This room had many machines, large bins and shelves. With flashlights, the POstables scanned every corner of the room.
"There's nothing... You think this whole thing was just a joke." Rita remarked, disappointed.
" This secret room exists, I'm sure!" Norman exclaimed as Oliver felt around the corner of a wall, behind a small shelf.
"Norman, if you have a hammer, the room must be behind a wall." Shane added with a smile.
"That won't be necessary, Miss McInerney. Sometimes you just have to find the right mechanism." Oliver said smiling after finding a button embedded in a wall.
"Wow! So this is it, well done Oliver!" Rita exclaimed.
"Norman, please, do the honors." The postal detective offered.
"This is so awesome. I feel like I'm in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom !" Norman exclaimed as he pressed the button.
By some automatic mechanism, the door in the wall opened. The POstables walked down a small hallway before arriving in a large office and flipped on the small light switch. The four friends walked around the office, looking at piles of letters, boxes, shelves filled with books and notebooks.
"Wow, this place is amazing. So where is Jack's letter?" Rita asked.
"Just here !" Norman exclaimed as he brought over a box inlaid with Jack Spooky's name.
He opened it and handed Shane a vintage brown envelope with a raven, skeleton, candle, pumpkin and bats drawn on it. There was no shipping address or postmark.
"Nice design. Our mailman must have forgotten to mail his letter." The postal detective remarked.
Shane took the envelope, opened it carefully and read the contents of the letter.
Dearest Norman
Happy Halloween.
I am retiring today, Friday, October 31, 1997.
From my life as a letter carrier, I have had some very fond memories. But the fondest memory I have is of that sweet little boy waiting by the window for me to deliver the mail. I wish you the best and that you find a family forever.
With my best regards.
Jack Hall "Jack Spooky."
"Norman?" Shane asked, surprised.
"I was adopted in late September by the Dorman family in 1997. I was 8 years old. Before that, I was still in my last foster home, at 67 Ellsworth Avenue in Denver. I stayed there for 3 years. At every Halloween, the other kids would always steal my candy. One day I was sad and crying on the porch. A mailman was on his way home from his delivery, stopped in front of our house, smiled at me, asked my name and offered me a package of candy. He was always very nice. He gave me my first stamp collection. I never knew that mailman's name until today. Norman said with a smile.
"It's a beautiful memory, Norman. Rita smiled.
"But why didn't this letter end up in the DLO? What is this room? Oliver, do you know anything?" Shane asked, surprised.
"I've been looking for this place for years! This is the postal inner sanctum. Everything in here are items that belonged to former mail carriers since the Denver Post Office was established. Delivery address books, stamp collections, postal uniforms, letters," Oliver says with a smile.
"It's like a postal museum,"Shane remarked.
"Not just that. It's to honor the memory of Denver's letter carriers. The words that travel through the post offices, travel the world to bring love, peace and hope. People's hearts live on through letters and it's up to us to deliver those messages." Oliver says.
"Those are beautiful words, Oliver." Rita added.
"In any case, this letter is a beautiful gift. And I'm proud to be a POstables..." began Norman as the lights went down.
"Are you sure this room is not haunted?" Shane exclaimed
Suddenly a figure walked towards the four friends.
"It's the ... ghost! ..." Norman, Rita and Shane cried.
"Hi kids! Whew, I'm dying of heat in this disguise!" A male voice exclaimed as he removed the head from the disguise and turned on the light.
"Joe!" Shane, Rita and Norman exclaimed
"Dad, what are you doing in a bear costume?" Oliver asks.
"Well, I was supposed to get a Chewbacca costume, but I got a bear. I scared you all, is that the main thing right?" Joe laughed. "Indeed, I was looking for you four, so I saw the sorting room open. The party will be starting soon. Hurry up if you want to go to the buffet." Joe explains.
"You can count on me." Norman said, smiling as he left the room followed by Rita and Shane.
"So son, did you find the secret room you've been looking for?" Joe asks
"Yes, you just have to trust the timing." Oliver replied with a long smile.
Postal Halloween Party. 9 p.m
Many postal workers were chatting near the buffet while others were on the dance floor.
"I love their mini-sandwiches and pumpkin juice!" Norman exclaimed as he finished his drink.
"Norman, you're still at the buffet, come dance!" Rita exclaimed as she pulled her husband onto the dance floor.
"Rita, have you ever seen Frankenstein dance the Macarena?" Norman asked, not quite comfortable.
" It does not matter Norman. The most important thing is that we are together!" Rita exclaimed while dancing.
Shane, who had just poured herself a cup of melted chocolate from a cauldron, smiled broadly as she watched her friends. Sharon joined her.
"Rita and Norman are both so cute. I guess you're a little sad that Oliver didn't stay for the party?" Sharon asked.
"A little... I know Oliver doesn't like these kinds of festivities. There will be other opportunities to dance." Shane replied, smiling to hide her disappointment.
"Okay...I'll dance a little Tango. Don't stay alone Shaney and have fun honey," Sharon said with a smile before walking away to the dance floor.
Shane continued to watch the dance floor for a long time. Ramon, who was the DJ for the evening, had just finished the Latin music. He was now starting to play music from the 80s. Suddenly the words of a song caught Shane's attention and plunged her into a distant dream.
🎶Met you by surprise,
I didn't realize
That my life would change forever
Saw you standing there,
I didn't know I cared
There was something special in the air...🎶
Shane, pensive, dreamed of her first meeting with Oliver, and then of their dance classes.
🎶Dreams are my reality. I like to dream of you close to me. I dream of loving in the night. And loving you seems right🎶." A male voice whispered in her ear.
Surprised, Shane turned around and saw a vampire in front of her.
"Oliver, is that really you?" Shane asked, surprised
"Sorry for the delay. I finally decided to wear this vampire costume. It's quite gentlemanly. I like the jacket, tie and cape. It was nice of your mom to offer it to me. What do you think?" Oliver asked.
"It's very attractive, I like it a lot. Let's go dancing, Count O'Toole," Shane offered with a smile.
Oliver led Shane onto the dance floor.
"A giant bear, what a funny idea, Joe." Sharon remarked to Joe at the buffet.
"Indeed. Wow, Oliver, a 20th century gentleman dressed up for Halloween, if I ever believed it!" Joe laughs. "Did you have anything to do with it , Sharon?" He asked.
"Modernity is only temporary. We mustn't forget that love is a righteous heart that beats in unison with another heart to the rhythm of the dance of life." Sharon replied with a smile, watching Shane and Oliver dancing.
"I can't believe you actually did that. It's so unusual and surprising. But I have to admit, I like it." Shane said in a low voice.
The postal detective stopped the dance and then took a long look into his wife's eyes.
"What ?" Shane asked, surprised.
"I don't think you've ever kissed a vampire, have you." Oliver whispered before kissing her at length.
"That's true... And it was really perfect." Shane said with a long smile
And like under the stars in the barn, they continue to dance for a long and long time.
The end.
Author's note: Thank you all for reading this story. Have a great day POstables :)